Hibiscus plant named ‘Edge of Night’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of winter-hardy, herbaceous, perennial, hybrid  Hibiscus  plant named ‘Edge of Night’ comprising a compact rounded mound habit of multiple, well-branched, basal stems producing flowers from the bottom to the top of the plant for five to six weeks from late July to early September. Flower petals are bubblegum pink with dark pink veins radiating toward margin and deep red eye set off with column of butter-yellow pollen. The foliage is mostly ovate, rarely trilobed, and very dark mahogany-colored.

Botanical classification: Hibiscus hybrid (L.).

Variety denomination: ‘Edge of Night’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES UNDER 37 CFR 1.77(B)(6)

The first publicly released non-enabling description was a photographand brief description of the new plant was on Dec. 1, 2020 when it wasplaced on a website operated by Walters Gardens, Inc. Subsequently, thenew plant had a non-enabling description and photograph in the “WaltersGardens 2021-2022 Catalog” first released on May 21, 2021. The firstdisclosure, in the form of a sale, was made by Walters Gardens, Inc. onMar. 29, 2021. Walters Gardens, Inc. obtained the new plant and allinformation relating thereto, from the inventor. No plants of Hibiscus‘Edge of Night’ have been sold, in this country or anywhere in theworld, nor has any disclosure of the new plant been made, more than oneyear prior the filing date of this application, and such sale ordisclosure within one year was either derived directly or indirectlyfrom the inventor and would be 35 U.S.C § 102(b) exceptions.

BACKGROUND AND ORIGIN OF THE PLANT

The present invention relates to the new and distinct hardy, herbaceous,Hibiscus plant, Hibiscus ‘Edge of Night’ hybridized under direction ofthe inventor on Aug. 17, 2016 at a wholesale perennial nursery inZeeland, Mich. The new plant is a single seedling selection from anintentional self-pollination of the complex, unreleased, proprietaryhybrid known as 15-117-4 (not patented). Into the trial process the newplant was assigned the breeder code labeled 16-78-1. The parent has acomplex mixture of species in them, comprising the species: moscheutosand coccineus.

Hibiscus ‘Edge of Night’ was first asexually propagated in late summerof 2018 by sterile shoot-tip tissue culture and later by greenhouseshoot tip cuttings at the same nursery in Zeeland, Mich. The resultantasexually propagated plants have been found to be stable and true totype in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PLANT

Hibiscus ‘Edge of Night’ differs from its parents as well as all otherhardy herbaceous Hibiscus known to the applicant in many traits. Themost similar Hibiscus known to the applicant are ‘Airbrush Effect’ U.S.Plant Pat. No. 29,295, ‘Dark Mystery’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 32,036,‘Evening Rose’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 33,366, ‘Perfect Storm’ U.S. PlantPat. No. 27,880, ‘Holy Grail’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,478 and ‘MochaMoon’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 37,837. ‘Airbrush Effect’ has flowers ofsimilar color but with more mottling, and the foliage is deeplydissected, tri-lobed, and dark green. ‘Dark Mystery’ is much taller andbroader in habit, the foliage is wine-colored, and the flowers are paleto light pink with red eye. ‘Evening Rose’ has a larger habit, thefoliage that is tri-lobed and mahogany colored, and the flower is morepuckered and magenta-colored. ‘Perfect Storm’ has mostly tri-lobedfoliage and flowers that are lighter pink in the middle with bright redeyes that radiates out in veins. ‘Holy Grail’ has a slightly largerhabit, similar in foliage and the flowers are deep reddish-colored.‘Mocha Moon’ has more cupped flowers with less pinkish color and reddishveins in the outer petal portion, the petals are more folded in theinner edge and the foliage is more tri-lobed.

The parent is taller and more upright in habit, the foliage tri-lobedand color was not as deep mahogany, and the flower is lighter pink.

Hibiscus ‘Edge of Night’ is a unique hardy herbaceous Hibiscus with thefollowing combined traits:

-   -   1. Winter-hardy compact perennial with mounded habit of        multiple, well-branched, basal stems.    -   2. Many flat rotate flowers produced from bottom to top of        plant.    -   3. Flowers produced for about five to six weeks beginning        mid-summer.    -   4. Flower petals of bubblegum pink with dark pink veining.    -   5. Flower has a deep red eye zone and delicate butter yellow        pollen.    -   6. Mostly ovate to rarely trilobed foliage strongly colored with        very dark mahogany.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new plant demonstrate the overall appearance ofthe plant, including the unique traits. The colors are as accurate asreasonably possible with color reproductions. Ambient light spectrum,source and direction may cause the appearance of minor variation incolor.

FIG. 1 shows a close-up of the flower and bud.

FIG. 2 shows a three-year-old plant in full flower in a display garden.

FIG. 3 shows the terminal foliage with stem and young flower buds.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following descriptions and color references are based on the 2001edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except wherecommon dictionary terms are used. The new plant, Hibiscus ‘Edge ofNight’, has not been observed under all possible environments. Thephenotype may vary slightly with different environmental conditions,such as temperature, light, fertility, moisture and maturity levels, butwithout any change in the genotype. The following observations and sizedescriptions are of four-year-old plants in the loamy-sand, open-fieldfull-sun trials of a nursery in Zeeland, Mich. with supplementalfertilizer and water as needed. The plants are of natural habit and werenot treated with plant growth regulators, nor were they pinched at anytime in the growth year.

-   Parentage: The parent is 15-117-4;-   Propagation:    -   -   Method.—Shoot tip cuttings and sterile shoot-tip plant            tissue culture division.        -   Time to initiate roots from tissue culture.—About two weeks.        -   Rooting habit.—Normal, branching, developing thick to about            2.2 cm diameter, fleshy.        -   Root color.—Creamy yellow, nearest RHS 161D depending on            soil type.        -   Crop time.—Under normal summer growing conditions 12 to 16            weeks to flower in a four-liter container from cutting;            plant vigor very good.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit.—Winter-hardy herbaceous perennial with about 51            thick, upright, heavily-branched stems producing an compact            mound to about 94.0 cm tall and about 150.0 cm wide.        -   Stem.—Cylindrical, glabrous, glaucous; to about 94.0 cm tall            and about 20.0 mm diameter at base, average about 90.0 cm            tall and about 16.0 mm diameter at base.        -   Stem color.—Nearest RHS 138A proximally, distally nearest            RHS 183C.        -   Lateral branches.—To 9 per stem, average about 6 per stem;            cylindrical, glabrous, glaucous; to about 20.0 cm long and            5.0 mm diameter at base, smaller distally.        -   Lateral branch color.—Nearest RHS 138A proximally, distally            nearest RHS 183C.        -   Internode.—About 30 nodes per stem below single flowers;            average internode length about 2.6 cm of unpinched plant;        -   Internode color.—Same as surrounding stem; nearest RHS 138A            proximally, distally nearest RHS 183C.-   Foliage description: Typically ovate, rarely trilobed; alternate;    apex narrowly acute; base rounded; margin coarsely and irregularly    dentate; glabrescent abaxial and glabrous adaxial; adaxial surface    lustrous when expanding, slightly lustrous when mature, abaxial    surface matte; ovate leaf blades to about 15.5 cm long and about    12.0 cm across, trilobed leaf blades to about 14.5 cm long and about    13.5 cm wide, lobes to about 3.5 cm long; no fragrance detected;    -   -   Foliage color.—Young expanding leaves — adaxial between RHS            187A and RHS 187B, abaxial nearest RHS 137B; mature leaves —            adaxial between RHS N186A and RHS 187A, abaxial nearest RHS            147B with edges moderately blushed with 187A.        -   Veins.—Palmate; glabrous; costate on abaxial.        -   Vein color.—Young adaxial midrib nearest RHS N186C with            secondary veins between RHS 187B and 187A, abaxial young            veins nearest RHS NN137D with a light blush of RHS 187C and            midrib variable nearest RHS 187C and a blend between RHS            187A and RHS 181D; mature adaxial nearest RHS 187B both            midrib and secondary veins and abaxial midrib between RHS            187C and RHS 187D secondary veins nearest RHS 187C.        -   Petioles.—Mostly cylindrical; glaucous; glabrous; to about            12.0 cm long and 5.0 mm diameter at base, average size about            8.5 cm long and 4.0 mm wide at base.        -   Petiole color.—Nearest blend between RHS 183B and RHS 183C            above and nearest RHS 146C below and also proximally above.-   Flower description: Complete; solitary; perfect; actinomorphic;    mostly outward facing, with mostly outwardly facing outermost    petals; rotate; lasting up to two days on plant; to about 19.5 cm    across and slightly cupped petals and 6.5 cm deep, decreasing    distally; with small eye zone relative to petal size;    -   -   Buds one day prior to anthesis.—Ellipsoidal with rounded            apex and bluntly rounded base; sepals adpressed to petals;            about 6.0 cm long and about 4.5 cm diameter in middle.        -   Bud seven days prior to anthesis, with petals still            enveloped in calyx.—Cylindrical with pointed apex and            rounded base; carinate at sepals fusion lines; glabrous,            glaucous; about 2.6 cm long and about 1.9 cm across.        -   Bud color one day prior to anthesis.—Exposed petal color            nearest RHS 64D with small blotchy portions nearest RHS 62D.        -   Bud color seven days prior to anthesis.—Nearest RHS 147C            with light blushing at carinae nearest RHS 187B.        -   Epicalyx.—Typically 10 to 11 per flower; linear; entire;            micro-puberulent adaxial and glabrate abaxial; with margin            micro-ciliolate; dull surface abaxial and adaxial; narrowly            acute apex and truncate base, distally arcuate toward            center; to about 29.0 mm long and to about 5.0 mm wide at            base.        -   Epicalyx color.—Adaxial nearest RHS 146C proximally and            distally transitioning to nearest RHS 187B, abaxial base            between RHS 145A and RHS 146D, center nearest RHS 137A,            distally becoming nearest RHS 187A.        -   Calyx.—Star-shaped hypanthium; campanulate; 18.0 mm deep and            32.0 mm across.        -   Sepals.—Five, fused in basal 2.0 cm; acute apex;            micro-puberulent adaxial and sparsely micro-puberulent            abaxial; margin entire, edentate micro-ciliolate; abaxial            and adaxial surfaces matte; individually about 40.0 mm long,            about 25.0 mm wide at fusion.        -   Sepal color.—Adaxial base and primary veins nearest RHS            145D, distally nearest RHS 146B with light anthocyanin blush            near margin of nearest RHS 187B; abaxial between RHS 144A            and RHS 144B, distal veins and margins with light to medium            anthocyanin nearest RHS 187B.        -   Inflorescence.—Flowering in the distal 30 cm; up to 45 total            flowers per main stem without pinching, 19 on the upper            unbranched portion and 26 in the lower branched portion.        -   Flower lastingness.—Persist for one to two days; effective            for five to six weeks beginning late July.        -   Flower fragrance.—None detectable.        -   Petals.—Five; microscopically puberulent abaxial and            adaxial, glabrous eye; adnate to the androecium to form a            column, imbricate to about 60% overlapping at widest part            (petals overlapping 60% to the petals on either side);            palmately veined, primary veins impressed on adaxial and            slightly costate abaxial; surface slightly dimpled; rounded            with distinct claw and limb; margins: entire, edentate,            micro-ciliolate; apex rounded; base short claw-like; petal            undulation weak.        -   Petal size.—Average about 14.5 cm across and about 10.0 cm            long, claw base about 8.0 mm across, smaller in later part            of flowering season.        -   Petal color.—Adaxial central eye nearest RHS 53B, outer eye            nearest RHS 53A, center petal nearest RHS 67C becoming            blotched with between RHS 65D and RHS NN155D distally and            toward margin, and veins of between RHS 61B and RHS 61B            radiating from eye to the margin; abaxial basal 18 mm except            margin nearest RHS NN155D, 15 mm of marginal 2.5 mm nearest            RHS 61C, with distal center nearest RHS 64D and becoming            mottled with nearest RHS NN155D toward base and margin,            proximal veins nearest RHS NN155C and in distal center            nearest RHS 64A.        -   Flower lastingness.—One to two days.        -   Gynoecium.—Single; partially enclosed in column; 60.0 mm            long. Column: lustrous and glabrous, except basal 5.0 mm            micro-puberulent; about 40.0 mm long and about 12.0 mm            across at base; with pistil exserted about 12.0 mm; Column            color: nearest RHS NN155C in central portion and nearest RHS            61B in distal 3.0 mm and striated with RHS 61B and RHS            NN155C in basal 5.0 mm; Style: micro-puberulent in exserted            region above column, glabrous below; about 53.0 mm long,            penta-furcate in about distal 7.0 mm; branch diameter about            1.2 mm; color nearest RHS NN155B in region below split and            split region nearest RHS N155B; Stigma: typically five;            flattened globose, puberulent, about 3.0 mm in diameter and            1.5 mm tall; color nearest RHS 61B base and between RHS 70D            RHS N155C; Ovary: superior, semi-globose to conical, rounded            to broadly acute apex, flat truncate base; about 10.0 mm            across at base and about 7.0 mm tall; deeply fissured; color            nearest RHS 150D.        -   Androecium.—Filaments: numerous, about 120; about 3.0 mm            long and about 0.2 mm diameter; attached along nearly the            entire length of column; color nearest RHS NN155C. Anthers:            flattened reniform; dorsifixed; about 2.5 mm long and 2.5 mm            across and about 0.8 mm thick; color nearest RHS 11C;            Pollen: abundant, globose, less than 0.1 mm long; color            nearest RHS 11C.-   Pedicel: Cylindrical; glabrous; glaucous; lustrous; length from base    of sepal to abscission point about 27.0 mm long, from abscission    point to stem node about 44.0 mm long; about 4.0 mm diameter at base    and 5.0 mm diameter below sepals; decreasing in distal flowers;-   Pedicel color: Nearest RHS 146C above abscission layer and between    RHS 146C and RHS 183B below abscission layer;-   Peduncle: Cylindrical, glabrous, glaucous; flowering in the distal    30.0 cm; color nearest RHS 183C distally and RHS 138A proximally;-   Fruit: Penta-loculicidal capsule; pubescent along inner septa,    glabrous outside; ellipsoidal, cuspidate apex and flattened base;    about 22.0 mm long and 19.0 mm diameter; color nearest RHS N199B    when mature;-   Seed: Up to 48 per pod; minutely floccose; globose; about 3.0 mm in    diameter; color nearest RHS N199B;-   Resistance: Hibiscus ‘Edge of Night’ has not displayed any pest and    disease resistance beyond that typical of hardy perennial Hibiscus.-   Growing conditions: The plant grows best with plenty of moisture.    Hardiness at least from USDA zone 4 through 9.

I claim:
 1. A new cultivar of hardy herbaceous perennial Hibiscus hybridplant named ‘Edge of Night’ as herein illustrated and described.